Photograph mount



June 9, 1959 A. R. MATTHIAS ETAL 2,

PHOTOGRAPH MOUNT Filed Nov. 7, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet' 1 INVENTOR BY W02Q 3 ATTORNEYS A. R. MATTHIAS ET AL 2,889,646

June 9, 1959 PHOTOGRAPH MOUNT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Nov. '7, 1957INVENTOR 41w 1]. M iii/ d lfiazwl'dlfi'adjg WW d-1mm v ATTORNEYS2,889,646 PHOTOGRAPH MOUNT Alan R. Matthias and Richard E. Bodtke,Glenolden, Pa.

Application November 7, 1957, Serial No. 694,974 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-159)The present invention relates in general to photographic picture mountsand framing devices, and more particularly to foldable cardboard picturemounts of the easel type.

Heretofore, photographic mounts constructed from cardboard or likematerials, as opposed to rigid glass covered picture frames of wood ormetal, have been constructed in two basic types. One of these is theso-called book folder type, wherein a rectangular cardboard blank isscored mid-way of its length to provide hinged front and back panelswhich fold about the score line in a form resembling a book cover, theback panel being provided with a separate cardboard mat or frame whichis adhered to the back panel along the upper edge of the frame and isprovided with a rectangular opening through which the photograph may beviewed. The other conventional variety of photograph mount is of theeasel type, wherein an elongated rectangular blank is scoredtransversely at two intermediate points to define a central back panelto the opposite ends of which are hinged a coextensive cover flap and apointed tab adapted to be inserted into a slit formed intermediate theends of the cover flap to retain the parts in the form of an upstandingtriangular folder with the inner surface of the backing panel exposed. Aseparate apertured mat or frame identical to the mat or frame used inthe book folder type is adhered to the inner surface of the backingpanel to frame the photograph.

The display life of photographic mounts of these types as heretoforeproduced is severely limited by their tendency to warp, to crack, and tobecome soiled from handling. Photographic printing paper, which isheavily coated with chemicals on one side and subjected to immersion inliquids, has a great tendency to curl toward the coated side, marn'ngthe finished appearance of the photograph. One of the desirablefunctions of photographic mounts is to successfully resist this tendencyof the photographic paper to curl so as to maintain the photoprint inprecisely flat condition. Easel or book folder photographic mounts ofthe above-described types have not proved satisfactory in this respect.

Manufacture of the above-described types of photographic mounts haverequired at least two die cutting operations upon at least two, andoften three, pieces of cardboard, at least one die cutting operationbeing required to score the cover and another to die cut the insert mator frame.

In the case of conventional photographic mounts the necessity ofseparately positioning the mat in proper position on the backing paneland gluing the same in posi tion, in the assembly of conventionalphotographic mounts heretofore available, is responsible for asubstantial portion of the labor costs involved in manufacture of thephotomounts.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novelphotographic cardboard mount which is so constructed as to facilitateprecise location of the photograph in registry with the mat openingthrough which the Patented June 9, 1959 photograph is displayed, andwhich obviates the necessity of gluing or otherwise adhering thephotograph in position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelphotographic mount formed from a photographic blank, which may be madeby a single die cutting operation and may be readily folded to form asteady easel-type mount.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelphotographic mount formed from a single blank of cardboard material,which is highly resistant to bending or warping, and which is soconstructed as to resist the tendency of the photograph to curl.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detail description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating one preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the cardboard blank from which the easelphotographic mount embodying the present invention is formed;

Figure 2 is a rear fragmentary perspective view showing the blank in onestage of erection of the finished mount;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the mount embodying the presentinvention, folded into the form of an easel; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure3.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, the photographicmount of the present invention is formed from an elongated cardboardblank 10 having a rectangular mat-forming panel 11 provided with arectangular displaying opening 12 corresponding substantially to thedimensions of the photographic image to be displayed. Located at theopposite sides of the matforming panel 11 is a pair of lateralpicture-positioning flaps 13 and 14 which extend the length of the sidesof the mat-forming panel 11 and are hinged thereto along score lines 15and 16. The edges 17 and 18 of the picture-positioning flaps 13, 14 areadapted to define the sides of a photograph positioning pocket,indicated at 19 in Figure 4. The lower portions of thepicture-positioning flaps 13 and 14 are provided with outwardlyprojecting extensions or feet 20, 21, respectively, havingshoulder-forming edges 22 extending at right angles to the edges 17, 18of the flaps 13, 14 to define the bottom of the pocket 19.

A rectangular back panel 23 which is substantially coextensive inoutline with the mat-forming panel 11 is hinged to the bottom of themat-forming panel 11 along score line 24. The back panel 23 is cut alongthe line 25 in the central region of the panel 23 to define a foldableleg-forming flap -26 hinged to the remainder of the back panel 23 alongthe score line 27 which parallels the score line 24-. The leg-formingflap 26 includes a pair of panel sections 28, 29 and a terminal flange30. The panel section 28 is located adjacent the hinge-forming scoreline 27 and the panel section 29 is hinged to the panel section 28 alongthe score line 31 paralleling the score line 27. The terminal flange 30is hinged to the panel section 29 along the score line 32 parallelingthe score lines 31 and 27. The spacing, between the score lines 31 and'27 is less than that between the score lines 32 and 31. It will beobserved that the portions of the cut with the marginal portions of theback panel '23 having arcuate lower edges 34 to define locking earswhich co operate with the terminal flange 30 of the leg-forming flap 26to lock the leg-forming flap in rearwardly projecting relation to backpanel 23 wherein the flap 26 serves .as an easel leg for conditioningthe mount 35 as a self-standing easel-type mount.

It will be apparent that the blank from which the mount 35 is to beformed maybe produced by a single die-cutting operation as allcomponents of the mount are formed from a single piece of cardboardstock. In the assembly of the mount 35 from the blank 10, the lateralpicture-positioning flaps 13, 14 are folded inwardly about the scorelines 15, '16 to lap the lateral marginal portions of the mat-formingpanel 11 and occupy the position illustrated in Figure 2. In the usualcontinuous diecutting procedure for producing the blanks 10, the blanks,following die-cutting will be conveyed in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the blank along a path which brings the mat-formingpanel 11 and back panel 23 into contact with adhesive applying rolls orthe like to apply adhesive in two straight lines or tracks parallel toand flanking the long edges of the rectangular opening 12 and extendingcontinuously from the leading edge of the panel 11 to the trailing edgeof the panel 23. The lines of adhesive on the panels 11, 23 pass betweenthe lateral edges of the opening 12 and the score lines 15, 16, and arepositioned to underlie and overlie the flaps 13, 14 when the mount isfolded to assembled position. The flaps 13, 14 and back panel 23 arethen folded about their hinge lines 15, 16 into lapping relation withthe mat-forming panel 11 with the flaps 13, 14 extending between thelateral marginal portions of the panels 23 and 11 and the panel 23aligned with the panel 11, whereupon the adjacent surfaces of the flapsand panels become adhered together along the adhesive tracks.

The cardboard material from which the blank is formed is of somewhatgreater thickness than that of the photographic printing paper. Thus,the picture-positioning flaps 13, 14 interposed between the lateralmarginal portions of the panels 11 and 23 space these panels apart asufficient distance to define a pocket 19 having an access opening atthe upper edges of the panels 11 and 23 for insertion and withdrawal ofthe photographic print 36. The edges 17, 18 and 22 of these infoldedflaps 13 and 14 are so located as to precisely complement the sides andlower corners of the photographic printing paper when the print ispositioned to dispose the photographic image in precise registry withthe display opening 12, and thus facilitate the proper location of thephotographic print within the mount. The lateral picture-positioningflaps 13, 14 in the assembled mount 35 serve not only to space thepanels 11 and 23 a suflicient distance apart to readily accommodate aphotographic print therebetween in the pocket 19 and to define guideedges 17, 18 and 22 for precisely registering the photographic imagewith the display opening 12, but additionally reinforce the lateraledges of the mount 35 along the entire height of the mount to rigidifythe mount and resist marring of the lateral edges of the mount due tothe three-ply edge lamination thus produced.

The mount in this form serves as a convenient package for protecting thephotographs during transportation from the studio or place of productionto the home or point of display. When it is desired to set up the mountin the form of a self-standing easel for display purposes, theleg-forming flap 26 folded rearwardly from the plane of the back panel23 about the score line 27 to dispose the panel section 28 at an acuteangle with the lower marginal portion of the panel 23, and the panelsection 29 is bent forwardly about the score line 31 to insert theterminal flange 30 into the opening defined by the cut and below thearcuate edges 34 of the ears 33, and the terminal flange is led upwardlybetween the back of the photographic print occupying the pocket 19 andthe adjacent surfaces of the ears 33 to lock the flange 30 between theears 33 and the photographic print. The lower arcuate edges 34 of thecars 33 will bear against the score line 32 and hinge the flange 30 tothe panel section 29 to efiectively hold the leg-forming flap 26 in theposition illustrated in Figure 4 wherein it serves to support the mountin upstanding relation for display purposes, the mount in this conditionresting upon the edges of the blank adjoining the score line 24- andscore line 31. While the terminal flange 30 is bent upwardly about thescore line 32 upon its insertion between the back of the photographicprint and the ears 33, the small residual tendency of the cardboardmaterial in the regions adjacent the score line 32 to return theterminal flange 30 to its former alignment with the plane of the panelsection 29 and the stresses imposed by the ears 33 on these partsproduce a forwardly directing force on the back of the photographicprint occupying the pocket 19 in the regions where the terminal flange39 bears upon the photographic print to resist curling of thephotographic paper to the forward or immersion-coated side and assist inretaining the print in flat condition.

The present invention, therefore, provides a photographic mount of thetype adapted to be assembled into an easel-type display mount which maybe inexpensively and conveniently formed from one piece of cardboardstock by a single die-cutting operation. It provides in a single blankconstruction, a photomouut having an upwardly opening pocket forreception of the print, the sides of the pocket being positioned toprecisely register the photographic image with the display opening ofthe mount, thereby reducing extensively the time and labor required forthe accurate mounting of the photographs in conventional photomounts. Itprovides a three-ply laminated construction along the lateral edges ofthe mat to reinforce the edges against wear and other marringinfluences, and rigidifies the picture-supporting portions of the mountto improve the ability of the mount to stand erect for long periods oftime and to resist the tendencies of the photographic printing paper tocurl. Also, because of the particular interrelation of the leg-formingflap with the back panel when the flap is folded rearwardly to form aneasel leg, the flap is locked by the ears on the back panel at such alocation as to press forwardly against the back of the printing paperintermediate the upper and lower edges of the printing paper to furtherresist curling of the photographic print.

While only one preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosedin the above description, it is understood that various modificationsmay be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations beplaced thereon as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in theappended claim.

I claim:

A picture mount formed from a single blank of cardboard materialcomprising a rectangular mat panel having a photograph display openingtherein, a back panel hinged to said mat panel along a transverse edgeof the mat panel and disposed in underlying lapped relation with the matpanel, a pair of elongated strips hinged to the opposite lateral edgesof the mat panel and infolded against the lateral marginal portions ofsaid mat panel to lap said marginal portions and extend between thelatter and said back panel for spacing the back panel from said matpanel a sufficient distance to accommodate a photograph therebetween,said strips having guide edges cooperating to define the side walls andportions of the bottom wall of a pocket of appropriate size and locationrelative to said mat panel opening to propertly register the image on aphotographic print with said opening, and means adhering said back paneland strips in said lapping positions.

Taylor Jan. 5, 1932 Nichols June 19, 1956

